tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75892930918923512052018-03-06T23:47:01.007+01:00Comision Internacional Autònomacomisioninternacional@gmail.comComision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-73384844124235647022010-03-16T12:28:00.001+01:002010-03-16T12:29:29.559+01:00NEW BLOG // NUEVO BLOGWe've changed our blog // Hemos cambiado de blog:<br /><a href="http://interunibcn.wordpress.com/">http://interunibcn.wordpress.com/</a>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-56896558896205603102010-02-22T10:57:00.000+01:002010-02-22T10:59:07.653+01:00Links to posts from 2008-2009 academic year<ul><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/05/22nd-may-alternative-university.html">22nd May: Alternative University</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/05/21st-may-professors-and-admin-personnel.html">21st may: Professors and Admin. Personnel Protest</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/05/18th-may-58-and-more-besides.html">18th May: 58 and More Besides</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/05/18th-may-students-charged-press-release.html">18th May: Students Charged - PRESS RELEASE</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/05/14th-may-occupation-ends-in-vandalised.html">14th May: Occupation Ends in Vandalised Bank</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/05/5th-may-mundet-redecoration_21.html">5th May: Mundet Redecoration</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/05/1st-may-alternative-celebrations-in.html">1st May: Alternative Demonstration</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/29th-april-students-occupy-education.html">29th April: Students Occupy Education Ministry</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/28th-april-occupations-and.html">28th April: Occupations and Demonstration</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/25th-april-college-occupations.html">25th April: College Occupations</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/30th-march-tomas-sayes-ends-hunger.html">30th March: Student Ends Hunger Strike</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/student-hospitalised-following-hunger.html">29th March: Student Hospitalised Following Hunger Strike</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/manifesto-read-out-during-demonstration.html">26th March: Manifesto Read During Demonstration</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/student-occupation-on-24th-of-march.html">24th March: Status of Student Occupations</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/18th-march-police-responses-to-charges.html">18th March: Police Responses to the Charges on Protesters</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/18th-march-chronicle-of-night-time.html">18th March: Chronicle of the Night Time Rally Following the Eviction</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/date-of-release-13-th-april-2009.html">18th March: Personal Testimony of the Eviction from the Historic Building University Occupation</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/eviction-of-students-from-university-of.html">18th March: Eviction of Students from the University of Barcelona</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/13th-march-student-eviction-from-pompeu.html">13th March: Student Eviction from Pompeu Fabra University</a></li><li><a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/03/cronica-de-la-manifestacion-del-12-de.html">12th March: Chronicle of Demonstration</a></li></ul>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-53028598146358146342010-02-22T10:12:00.005+01:002010-02-22T10:55:30.381+01:0019th Feb: Occupied Student's Room<div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Before and after!</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/S4JUDOme16I/AAAAAAAAAl0/Bp4i44o97QM/s1600-h/Before.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/S4JUDOme16I/AAAAAAAAAl0/Bp4i44o97QM/s320/Before.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441003714252822434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/S4JUMRy20fI/AAAAAAAAAl8/saVKbTbWv6M/s1600-h/After.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/S4JUMRy20fI/AAAAAAAAAl8/saVKbTbWv6M/s320/After.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441003869728854514" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A classroom has been liberated in the University of Barcelona's pedagogy campus. The following manifesto has been published by students:<br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Students have occupied and taken over the running of a classroom in order to teach in a space of learning liberated from the confines of the academic environment.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Various students here want to expose and criticise the state of our university. We're denouncing the imposition of the EHEA as the new mercantile model for education. Our obligation as students of pedagogy, social education, social work, teacher training, psychology and audiovisual communication is to fight in order to gain political and pedagogic processes which guarantee emancipation and self-organisation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Confronted by institutional violence, the students at Mundet Campus have decided to modify the structure and function of the university by creating a place where students can create, generate and experience new educational methodologies. In this space the student community can exercise critical thought without the interference of the university system and its politics.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The fundamentals of the project are:</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">- Build up a new education model to aid social change and thus confront the current authoritarian model</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">- Bring social realities into the faculties</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">- Create a space in which students from different discliplines can meet</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">- Work towards a critical university open to its social context, rather than a corporate tool</span><br /><br />More education (including the manifesto in its original Catalan) can be found <a href="http://www.assembleamundet.net/">here</a><br /><p></p>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-69623519691722441082009-11-11T01:07:00.001+01:002009-11-11T01:51:19.403+01:00Free University Activities: 12th - 18th November<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: georgia;">Activities in:</span></span><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.larimaia.org/">La Rimaia</a> (Casanova 17)</span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://teixidora.squat.net/">La Teixidora</a> (Marià Aguilló 35)</span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://barrilonia.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html">Barrilonia</a> (Rambla del Raval)</span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">La Rosa Negra (Roser 30, metro Paral.lel)</span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><b><a href="http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/content/global-week-action-reloaded-nov-2009">GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION</a></b><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Thursday 12<br /></b>Fine<b> </b>Arts Faculty (UB)- Anti Repression Day. 1200-1800.<b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">La Rimaia- Class: </span><span style="font-size:100%;">First aid. 1830.</span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">Plaça Universitat- unitary demo "Stop Repressió"/"Sembrem Llibertat". organised by Grup Denùncia 18M. 19h<br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">La Rosa Negra- Screening: Brazil (with food). 2000.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Friday 13<br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">Rimaia- Class: First aid. 1830.<br />Rimaia- Institutional Revolutionary audiovisual. Session IV: Copyleft (with invited groups: Riot cinema collective, eXgae, Traxtore). 2100-2300.<br />Barrilonia- Party: 26th Anniversary of the Zapatista uprising. 2100-2300.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Saturday 14<br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">Rimaia- Workshop. Co-ordinating syndicalised workers. 1200-2200.</span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">Rimaia -Talk: An anarco-syndicalist response to the crisis. 1900.</span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">Barrilonia- Supper with screening of Zapatista film "Corazon del tiempo". 2100.</span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Sunday 15<br /></b>Barrilonia- Popular paella eat-in and play against political and domestic violence in Mexico. 1400.<br /></span> <div><span style="font-size:100%;"> Barrilonia- Workshop: Theatre for the oppressed. 1700-2000.<br /></span> <div><span style="font-size:100%;"> Barrilonia- Screening: "In this world" dir. Michale Winterbottom. 2000-2300.<br />Teixidora- <span class="title">Workshop: Bodily expression (held be Rebel'art). TIME UNKNOWN.<br /></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Monday 16 <a href="http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/content/global-week-action-reloaded-nov-2009"></a><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">Barrilonia- Class: Life drawing. 1700-2000.</span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">Rimaia- Class: Electricity. 1800.<br />Barrilonia- Assembly: Feminist group L’estisores (pro-choice). TIME UNKNOWN.<br />Biology faculty (UB)- Fundraiser</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> and talk. TIME UNKNOWN.<br /><br /></span><b>Tuesday 17</b></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">La Rimaia- Class: Electricity. 1800-2000.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Wednesday 18<br /></b> Ciutat de la Justicia- Protest rally (Denuncia18M). 1000.<br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">La Rimaia- Class: Electricity. 1800-2000.<br /></span></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; font-family: georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">The library and tearoom in La Rimaia are open everyday from 1700-2100.</span></p>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-61252867663940647472009-11-11T00:39:00.003+01:002009-11-11T01:04:33.218+01:0010th Nov: Anti-Repression Press Conference<span style="font-size:100%;">This is a translation of the communiqué read out in a press conference held today outside the central University of Barcelona building (site of the 18th March eviction last year). This forms part of a week of general activities to highlight the court cases that will be held on the 18th and 26th November for those charged on the 18th March.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/Svn_QG0cv5I/AAAAAAAAAlA/8mII9YP2wrA/s1600-h/DSCF1701.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/Svn_QG0cv5I/AAAAAAAAAlA/8mII9YP2wrA/s320/DSCF1701.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402629880181211026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The movement's lawyer, Jaume Assens</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />On the 20th November it will have been a year since the occupation of the "rectorat" (grand entrance) of the University of Barcelona. However, it's already been years since students have been organising in order to paralyse the European Higher Education Area and create a space of debate regarding its implementation and the function of universities in society. A stronge and persistent students movement was formed as a response to an imposed market-orientated education reform. From the rectorat of the UB the conflict was visualised to society the movement gained strength. Students, in seeing that they wouldn't be given a voice, had decided to speak without permission.<br /><br />During that time academic authorities, politicians and the commercial media practised an information-based counter-offensive taking two forms: on the one hand, they pettily badmouthed the student movement and discredited their arguments with cooked up information, on the other hand, they upped their attempts to sell the reforms. The UB tried for a PR victory, with the constant use of the word "dialogue", and a clean "police-free campus" image (painting itself as an exception amongst the other universities) to the point where members of the management claimed that "the day the police step foot in this university I'll resign".<br /><br />On the 18th March this hypocrisy was made obvious to everyone.<br /><br />The UB's good image, and the endangerment of "academic normality", which in reality don't amount to anything, were the arguments used by university president Dídac Ramírez for letting riot squads into the building. The repression that we lived through on the 18th March started inside the rectorat, without warning, in a violent eviction confronted with the students' passive resistence. During the morning, at midday and at night police brigades charged on protesters, journalists and passers-by brutally and indiscriminately.<br /><br />The actions of the repressing forces ended with 6 detentions and hundreds injured, many of whom were hit in legally prohibited parts of their body (the head, the hands, etc.). Today there are more than 58 people charged.<br /><br />It remains very clear that, behind the armed police officers who chased, harassed, threatened and humiliated so many people, there was a well defined repressive strategy being put in place by academic and political authorities. No kind of responsibility has been assumed for what happened that day, or for the effects that are still suffered to this day. Rather, in many cases the actions were justified by the authorities, who went so far as to call for harsher repression. The only action undertaken was to sack Rafael Olmos, then head of the police, only to later reinstate him a little later.<br /><br />We must also take this opportunity to denounce the manipulation of information in the media over the following days, in which the number of injured police officers given was at one point greater than that of injured protesters.<br /><br />Faced with the impunity which shields those responsible, it was necessary to gather the testimonies and documents to make a collective denunciation. We have united more than a hundred people to denounce the abuses committed.<br /><br />We have decided to use a legal route to make the denunciation. On the 18th September a dispute against the police force was presented through the legal system, although we still don't know if this has been accepted or rejected. The fact that the police brigades didn't carry identification on their uniforms, makes this route difficult, but we hope it will go some way to save the events from being forgotten. Therefore we are making the dispute public today.<br /><br />We are here to say that we haven't forgotten and we will continue to fight, even despite the political and mediatic silence, we won't just stand by. We are here to denounce and dismantle a judicial system thought out and orquestrated by those in power, a judicial system which is normalising repression against anyone who speaks out.<br /><br />We demand to see those responsible brought to justice, not with words but with actions (resignations), In the Interior Department, in the police force, amongst the presidents of Catalan universities, in the "Innovation, Universities and Business" Department and in the Commission for Universities and Research.<br /><br />We will rally against repression on the 12th at Plaça Universitat.<br /><br />We will also rally at the courthouses on the days 18th and 26th in protest at the trials for those evicted and charged with public disorder.</span>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-18241216364111504502009-11-06T14:10:00.003+01:002009-11-10T01:05:01.413+01:00Free Uni-What?As part of its renowned squat scene and history of educational struggle, Barcelona is home to many free universities.<br /><br />These are usually in squatted social centres (abandoned buildings occupied to meet the needs of the neighbourhood) and hold a range of activities, from tranvestite theatre to debates on primitivism. The aim of the project is to create a revolutionary space of learning where the difference between teacher and student is blurred and the subject matter, duration of the class, entry requirements etc. are chosen in self-organised groups interested in social change rather than by antiquated power structures serving only the needs of the rich.<br /><br />The universities aim to provide a space for anyone interested where they can sit and chat without the obligation to buy anything, "a free space for all".<br /><br />Check the blog for upcoming free university events!Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-32800736402588229992009-11-04T23:00:00.006+01:002009-11-08T19:08:47.391+01:00The Free Universities this week- ActivitiesActivities in:<div><a href="http://www.larimaia.org/">La Rimaia</a> (Casanova 17)</div><div><a href="http://teixidora.squat.net/">La Teixidora</a> (Marià Aguilló 35)</div><div><a href="http://barrilonia.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html">Barrilonia</a> (Rambla del Raval)</div><div>La Rosa Negra (Roser 30, metro Paral.lel)</div><div>Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) Cerdanyola Campus.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thursday 5</b></div><div>UAB- Alternative party. 1400-late.</div><div>La Rimaia- Arts Workshop open. 1700-2000.</div><div>La Rimaia- Talk: Crisis and Anticapitalism. A vision from a Marxist perspective. 1730.</div><div>La Teixidora- Supper in support of Mexican prisoners. 2100-2200.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Friday 6</b></div><div>La Teixidora- Sexual bric-a-brac workshop. 1000-1400. ENROL BY EMAIL - lateixidora@gmail.com</div><div>La Teixidora- Politically Correct Abusers. 1800.</div><div>La Teixidora- Theatre piece about domestic violence. 1930-2230.</div><div>(La Teixidora will have food available)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Saturday 7</b></div><div>La Teixidora- Analizing gender on the internet with theatre techniques. 1000-1200.</div><div>La Rosa Negra- Bike Repair Workshop. 1630.</div><div>La Teixidora- Talk: Sexuality and HIV in the classroom. 1700.</div><div>La Teixidora- The history of the LGBT struggle. 1900.</div><div>Barrilonia- Anti-Repression fundraiser for 58i+ legal fees </div><div>La Teixidora- Big gay party. 2200-0300.</div><div>(La Teixidora will have food available)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Sunday 8</b></div><div>La Teixidora- Workshop: "Degenerate yourself" (held by the Barcelona Gay Collective). 1200.</div><div>La Teixidora- "Performative Subversions". 1700.</div><div>La Teixidora- Chat: "Tran-Intersex, the construction of an illness". 1900.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Monday 9 <a href="http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/content/global-week-action-reloaded-nov-2009">START OF THE GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION</a><br /></b></div><div>La Rimaia- Class: Electricity. 1800-2000.</div><div>La Teixidora- Theory Assembly. 1930.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tuesday 10</b></div><div>UB (Rectorat) - 58i+ press conference. 1000.<br />UB (Psychology faculty) - 58i+ chat and fundraiser. 1300.<br />UB (Raval campus) - 58i+ chat and fundraiser. 1400.<br />La Rimaia- Class: Photography. 1800-2000.</div><div>La Rimaia- Class: Electricity. 1800-2000.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><b>Wednesday 11</b></div><div>La Rimaia- Class: Electricity. 1800-2000.</div><div>La Rimaia- Social Centre Assembly. 2000.<br />UB (Medicine clinic) - 58i+ chat and fundraiser. 1900.</div><div>UB (Pedagogy hall Room 1o2, first floor) - 58i+ chat and fundraiser. 2000.<p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></span></b></span><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;">The library and tearoom in La Rimaia are open everyday from 1600-2100.</p></div>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-56079290233821985752009-10-28T00:25:00.003+01:002009-10-28T01:08:19.332+01:00"La Rimaia"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SueJTcw-x9I/AAAAAAAAAkg/dHg6oJQplRg/s1600-h/LARIMAIA.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 80px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SueJTcw-x9I/AAAAAAAAAkg/dHg6oJQplRg/s320/LARIMAIA.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397433645658982354" border="0" /></a><br />Since it was squatted last June, a lot has happened to number 17, Carrer Casanova. The building, having been abandoned for four years, has now been transformed into a social centre comprising of a Moroccan style tea room, a public library, a wifi access point, a cinema cum debating room and a host of classrooms where a range of subjects are taught for free.<br /><br />The project is being developed with the aim of creating a free space in which knowledge can be shared and the problems of the city confronted by the neighbourhood<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SueLScu3XbI/AAAAAAAAAko/WNQ-Azt0yHM/s1600-h/Rimmiwuwuw.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SueLScu3XbI/AAAAAAAAAko/WNQ-Azt0yHM/s320/Rimmiwuwuw.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397435827493494194" border="0" /></a>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-18758344385562634112009-05-23T00:06:00.006+02:002009-05-23T00:27:55.808+02:0022nd May: Alternative University<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShclYv3oH4I/AAAAAAAAAho/dmcqKJVB-Uo/s1600-h/ULL+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShclYv3oH4I/AAAAAAAAAho/dmcqKJVB-Uo/s320/ULL+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338776990367883138" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This week the University of Barcelona's Raval Campus has held an alternative university, the initials of which in Catalan spell ULL (which also means "look!").<br /><br />ULL was set up as a student-organised university, "we decide what we want to learn and when". Furthermore, the creation of a space for thought in the university is a response to the creation of the EHEA (European Higher Education Area), that is to say: the submission of knowledge and learning to capitalist logic. The students "are taking the university onto the street and the street into the university".<br /><br />The programme of events included:<br />- Chat-debates on the fragmentation of knowledge<br />- The showing of a documentary in construction about the student movement<br />- A stand-up lesson on mythology<br />- Chats about the student movements in France, Colombia, Mexico and Argentina<br />The week of events ended with a party to raise funds to pay the movement's legal fees.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShclvydatbI/AAAAAAAAAh4/hG3voHpjAM4/s1600-h/ULL+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShclvydatbI/AAAAAAAAAh4/hG3voHpjAM4/s320/ULL+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338777386200249778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Posters and graffiti all over campus publicised the event: on the programme the slogan reads "Close your eyes and look"</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/Shcln5TOY_I/AAAAAAAAAhw/Qvrp5TjgSfY/s1600-h/ULL+005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/Shcln5TOY_I/AAAAAAAAAhw/Qvrp5TjgSfY/s320/ULL+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338777250597594098" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Raval campus has been recently redecorated by various student groups. This reads: </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"In their democracy there are only 2 kinds of consensus:</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The consensus of </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">silence</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">and that of </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">repression</span><span style="font-style: italic;">"</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The poor person on the right is being fed timetables, punctuality, control and manipulation.</span></span><br /></div>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-73080458641346721912009-05-22T00:15:00.003+02:002009-05-22T01:05:47.690+02:0021st May: Professors and Admin. Personnel ProtestAgainst the application of the Bologna Process, the entire university community is organising and acting. A rally of "PDI-PAS" (teaching and investigative personnel and administration and services personnel) took place today at 7.30pm outside the Catalan parliament.<br /><br />Around 200 participants gathered outside the building to give a letter to the Catalan president, José Montilla. The letter asks Montilla to hold dialogue with PDI-PAS regarding the Bologna Process reforms to the university. The letter complains that the new laws have been introduced without discussion with those that will be effected and will lead to a university which creates "workers who are experts at silence, dependent, adecuate to the laws of the market". They also handed in ten petitions against the Bologna Process together with thousands of signatures procured from around Spain.<br /><br /><a href="http://assembleapdipas.universidadpublica.net/concentracio-21m">>>See the original of the letter on the website for the PDI-PAS assembly (in Catalan)<<</a><br /><em></em>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-67148632714731490952009-05-21T00:52:00.006+02:002009-05-21T01:26:27.767+02:0014th May: Occupation Ends in Vandalised Bank<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSJ6_8EAAI/AAAAAAAAAhA/CIpDvyppYRk/s1600-h/Mundet3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSJ6_8EAAI/AAAAAAAAAhA/CIpDvyppYRk/s320/Mundet3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338043105029652482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The on-campus bank which was decorated, whilst it was being cleaned</span></span>
<br /><meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"></div><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">An occupation of the library in the Mundet campus of the University of Barcelona (which hosts the pedagogy, psychology and teacher-training departments) has taken place from Tuesday 12th May till Friday 15th May.
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<br />A group of 20 occupied the campus library as a continuation of the <a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/05/5th-may-mundet-redecoration_21.html">action held the previous week</a> (and holding the same demands). The first night the students slept under the vigilance of 8 sub-contracted security guards. Attempts to hold dialogue with the vice-president over the three days proved fruitless, as she would only say, “this is a library, it closes at 8pm and therefore no one can stay here. No mattresses can enter, neither can you sleep, eat, smoke or drink.”</p>
<br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">During the occupation the library was decorated and a branch of Santander bank inside the campus was vandalised with red paint and slogans criticising its presence in an educational institution. Following these events the students decided to leave to avoid recriminations.</p>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSKXDpdjxI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/itBF6xY9onU/s1600-h/Mundet5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSKXDpdjxI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/itBF6xY9onU/s320/Mundet5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338043587061714706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"The chains of their legality will not stop the creation of a different social conscience"</span>
<br /></span></div>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSKEs3tpfI/AAAAAAAAAhI/H1uGB9STtT4/s1600-h/Mundet1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSKEs3tpfI/AAAAAAAAAhI/H1uGB9STtT4/s320/Mundet1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338043271709828594" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"We are no-one.</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">We are alone and so alone with our dignity and our rage.</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">We have seen and heard.</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Our voice is small on account of being the echo of this word, our sights are short for so much and such dignified rage. We are others, something else.</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">If this world has no place for us, then another world will have to be made.</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">We need to meet more, to get to know each other.</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What's needed is that which is missing."</span></span>
<br /></div>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-44346878902661814682009-05-21T00:38:00.007+02:002009-05-22T01:07:31.676+02:005th May: Mundet RedecorationNews from the University of Barcelona's Mundet Campus:
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<br />A 30-person rally took place at the deacon's office on demanding (amongst other things):
<br /><meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --</style>
<br /><ul><li><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A moratorium on the implementation of Bologna-style degrees in the next academic year</p> </li><li><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">That the administration pay the legal fees of all those charged in the 18<sup>th</sup> March occupation eviction, and the following confrontations with police</p> </li><li><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">That the administration assume responsibility for the eviction of the student occupation and the consequent confrontations with police</p> </li></ul>
<br />This meeting resulting in two hours of sterile dialogue, following which the group left the office and redecorated their campus.
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<br />Pictures:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSHJM7SENI/AAAAAAAAAgw/LwTAQQG-bTc/s1600-h/MundetEGaleano.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSHJM7SENI/AAAAAAAAAgw/LwTAQQG-bTc/s320/MundetEGaleano.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338040050499326162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">From a poem by Eduardo Galeano:</span>
<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Politicians speak but don't say anything</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Voters vote but don't choose anything</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The media disinforms</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Centres of learning teach ignorance</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Judges condemn victims</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Soldiers are at war against their own countrymen</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The police don't fight crimes, because they're too busy committing them</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bankruptcies are socialised, profits are privatised</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Money is freer than people</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">People are at the service of things"</span></span>
<br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSG_9AZWHI/AAAAAAAAAgo/Acj6vO4yrdk/s1600-h/MundetMossos.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSG_9AZWHI/AAAAAAAAAgo/Acj6vO4yrdk/s320/MundetMossos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338039891606984818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">A translated quote from "Know Your Rights" by the clash:</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"You have the right to free speech / As long as your not dumb enough to actually try it"</span></span>
<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">and the slogan of the 26th March demonstration, "Bologna is being imposed with beatings"</span></span>
<br /></div>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSHZH45NCI/AAAAAAAAAg4/JSAqRPXXD00/s1600-h/58imesMundet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShSHZH45NCI/AAAAAAAAAg4/JSAqRPXXD00/s320/58imesMundet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338040324025037858" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The slogan of the anti-repression campaign "58 and more besides"</span></span>
<br /></div></span>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-70469593663146057692009-05-18T16:16:00.010+02:002009-10-27T22:11:14.167+01:0018th May: "58 and more besides"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFuOxmmvSI/AAAAAAAAAfg/uzo0PXWd7fM/s1600-h/May+033.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFuOxmmvSI/AAAAAAAAAfg/uzo0PXWd7fM/s320/May+033.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337168233523232034" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Today we can confirm that the 53 people evicted from the student occupation have been charged with “<span style="font-style: italic;">desobediència a l'autoritat</span>” (breach of the peace) for resisting eviction. The figure of 53 can be added to that of the 5 people detained and more than 200 injured by police violence on the day of the eviction. "<span style="font-weight: bold;">58 i +</span>" (58 and more besides).</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Therefore, the Barcelona Student Movement has acted today against the person they hold responsible, the university president Dídac Ramírez, who ordered the eviction to take place.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Marking the two month anniversary of the eviction (and another “18-M”) a group from the Barcelona Student Movement entered the historical building and tried to enter the president's office in order to discuss his actions with him. Unfortunately, the rector locked himself in his office, refusing to face up to the bruised, charged and indignant consequences of his shameful action. Therefore the group posted a mural of photos from 18<sup>th</sup> March outside of his door.</p>
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFuacegAuI/AAAAAAAAAfo/7ZFf7hhIAjg/s1600-h/May+020.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFuacegAuI/AAAAAAAAAfo/7ZFf7hhIAjg/s320/May+020.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337168434010522338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Some of the images posted outside</span>
<br /></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFuiHK_2fI/AAAAAAAAAfw/AGygCHCpKVQ/s1600-h/May+021.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFuiHK_2fI/AAAAAAAAAfw/AGygCHCpKVQ/s320/May+021.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337168565730531826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"Didi"'s door</span>
<br /></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Following this action, most of the group left the building and created a giant mural spelling out “58 i +” on the pavement outside. Meanwhile, other members hung explicative banners from the building's windows with chains. Also visible was the same logo graffitied in red on the road, the result of an action the night before that ended in more police charges. The students then remained outside, leafletting students and passers-by.</p>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFutpK0vVI/AAAAAAAAAf4/O1oC3E4hVNg/s1600-h/May+029.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFutpK0vVI/AAAAAAAAAf4/O1oC3E4hVNg/s320/May+029.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337168763835170130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">One of the two posters hung from the building:</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"1 imposition +</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">3 demands +</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">0 dialogue =</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">58 and more besides... Moratorium now!"</span>
<br /></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFu5UwFoCI/AAAAAAAAAgA/_VXh8_5Om9Y/s1600-h/May+040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFu5UwFoCI/AAAAAAAAAgA/_VXh8_5Om9Y/s320/May+040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337168964512751650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The mural outside the front doors</span>
<br /></div>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFvE3V7QSI/AAAAAAAAAgI/4ckZfiMP0OY/s1600-h/May+062.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShFvE3V7QSI/AAAAAAAAAgI/4ckZfiMP0OY/s320/May+062.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337169162776822050" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Graffiti on the road outside, the slogan reads:</span>
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"We disobey their authority, on the street and in the university"</span>
<br /></div>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-77160642804678834832009-05-18T01:37:00.008+02:002009-05-21T01:32:49.626+02:0018th May: Students charged - PRESS RELEASE<meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><b>RADICAL MINORITY TO BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE</b></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>Today, 18</b></span><sup><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>th</b></span></sup><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b> May 2009, the nation breathes a sigh of relief as we exclusively report that the clandestine terror cell active in the vestibule of the University of Barcelona will finally be brought to justice.</b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">The cell, active over a period of four months, was quickly ratted out by student insiders who notified the authorities of its presence following the suspicious appearance of furniture, beds and a kitchen in the building. In the name of public safety, the dangerous criminals, armed to the teeth with shoes and stale BREAD, were escorted out of the building in the early hours of 18</span><sup><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"> March. However, the 53 suspects evaded capture because the police officers present were “tired and hadn't had breakfast yet”.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><<<a href="http://e.static.blip.tv/cache/1891138/">video of bungled capture attempt</a>>>
<br /></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">The 6 cell members detained that day were later released in some confusion resulting from cream cheese, the chief of police´s wife and a nose-flute. A vigourous police search hasn't taken place because Barça were playing but sources have urged the public to be vigilant- “They were holding books, so evidently some of them are Maoists” confirmed a police insider.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>Maoists</b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="justify"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">Caught in its first few months, university insiders claim that the student occupation was at first difficult to find because of all the tents put up in the University of Barcelona's historic building. Following the discovery of 50 or so students sleeping there, a crack team of underpaid, sub-contracted security guards was deployed to monitor suspicious activity.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShCgndmMHrI/AAAAAAAAAfY/J-egYMKjADM/s1600-h/Jaimas.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShCgndmMHrI/AAAAAAAAAfY/J-egYMKjADM/s320/Jaimas.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336942158254186162" border="0" /></a>
<br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><i>One of the guards searching for evidence of occupants</i></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">We were told to watch out for cocaine labs, kidnappings and human trafficking as these are often sources of funding for terrorists” reveals Juan Ángel Maria Dolores de la Santa Cruz Romero, one of the guards, “Much like Bin Laden, they constantly evaded us by going to lessons and sleeping.”</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>Kidnappings</b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">Luckily, the cunning wrong-doers couldn't evade the eyes and ears of authority for long, and their terrifying plan was soon made all too clear. </span> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">In a secret meeting held in the middle of the vestibule, the criminals admitted that they were demanding moratoriums on the university reform, the re-installation of expelled students and DEBATE with the governing body over the reform. Determined to tackle these reckless young hooligans face to face, the fearless university president, Dídac Ramírez PERSONALLY asked his secretary to call the police to remove them.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShCgVG-ZILI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/2_-UYfQ9eD8/s1600-h/Secret+Meeting.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 136px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/ShCgVG-ZILI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/2_-UYfQ9eD8/s320/Secret+Meeting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336941842944041138" border="0" /></a>
<br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><i>Students huddled “like witches”</i></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">It is with pleasure that we inform you that these delinquents have been officially charged and will be taken to trial as soon as they finish building the new court house, find out where each of the 53 is hiding and find a room big enough in which to judge that many people. The charges vary from “breach of the peace” to “you've really breached the peace now” depending on whether students talked too much or got tortured particularly badly. Therefore these miscreants have surely been stopped in their evil tracks by the fear of a possible jail sentence or fine sometime in October if the police haven't lost the paperwork. </span> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">People and businessmen of Catalonia, you must unite - despite the enormous differences in your salaries – to send out a clear <b>NO</b> to these terrorists! </span> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>NO</b> we will <b>NOT</b> be <span style="">terrorised</span> into funding education for everyone.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>NO</b> we will <b>CONTINUE</b> to prioritise the profits of companies over the <span style="">pithy</span> importance of learning.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>NO</b> we will <b>NOT</b> treat th<span style="">e dreamers, thinkers and workers in our universities</span> like dignified human beings.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">Let your voices be heard, the university is at the service of the markets! We will not give in to their <b>vicious</b> banner hangings, <b>threatening</b> peaceful occupations and <b>snide</b> leafletting. We will stand up and confront their <b>terrifying</b> demonstrations face to face (that is, the half-covered faces of our riot police).</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">The modernisation of the university is in our hands*!</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">* This article takes no responsibility for the university being completely out of your hands</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>The People's Voice</b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">Our opinion poll clearly shows that the majority of those questioned* believe the criminals should be kept in prison “forever” to stop them from asking for anything else.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>What should happen to the extremists?</b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>They should go to prison forever - 90%</b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;"><b>I'm confused - 10%</b></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family:Microsoft Sans Serif,sans-serif;">* Our shareholders</span></p> Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-29840106422925037102009-05-01T23:40:00.004+02:002009-05-21T01:14:38.855+02:001st May: Alternative Demonstration<meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --</style>Members of the Barcelona student movement formed part of an alternative May Day demonstration which unified anti-capitalist activists against the current crisis. <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Unlike the main demonstration, which is protagonised by the unions and ends in front of parliament, the alternative march took a route through the working class Raval neighbourhood and ended in Rambla del Raval (at its centre). As well as students, the block was composed of unemployed workers, squatters, immigrants and other militant anti-capitalist organisations. There were approximately 5,000 demonstrators.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The march started in Plaça Universitat with a performance of a television-headed preacher calling a heard of zombies (also dressed as nurses, construction workers, prostitutes, etc.) to worship money (in the form of a giant cardboard Euro and the effigy of a business man). At the end of the march the Euro and the effigy were burnt in front of the ostentatious Barceló Raval Hotel, which presides, with armoured windows, as a symbol of ruling class arrogance in the poor neighbourhood.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SfttNr5bBKI/AAAAAAAAAHc/vRrFyAz6O3c/s1600-h/May1RamRav.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SfttNr5bBKI/AAAAAAAAAHc/vRrFyAz6O3c/s320/May1RamRav.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330974665812411554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The march begins to arrive in Rambla del Raval, the Barceló Hotel can be seen on the left</span>
<br /></div>
<br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Slogans such as “Against the Capitalist crisis, class war!” and “It's going to end! Social peace is going to end!” were shouted. Although there were no altercations with police, a number of banks and hotels on route were vandalised with smashed windows and “RAGE” painted on them.</p> Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-22952399056199306412009-04-30T14:01:00.006+02:002009-05-21T01:13:59.339+02:0029th April: Students Occupy Education Ministry<meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Following a demonstration through the city, students took direct action against the education ministry. At 2pm a group of college students entered the government building, passing by the security measures in the entrance. They arrived at the 5<sup>th</sup> floor, home of the of the education minister, Ernest Maragall, and demanded to see him, but he was unavailable for comment. They then hung a banner reading “Colleges against mercantilisation and for the public”</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SfmUFXuuSTI/AAAAAAAAAHM/pFGPiZUkPyY/s1600-h/CollegeStudentsAssemblyConselleria.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 165px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SfmUFXuuSTI/AAAAAAAAAHM/pFGPiZUkPyY/s320/CollegeStudentsAssemblyConselleria.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330454453959936306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Students hold an assembly in the offices</span>
<br /></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">At 3pm some students tried to enter with food for their companions. Upon being denied entrance they linked up and ran at the line of police, trying to force their way in. The police response was to charge, beating the students with truncheons. At 3.45pm a group of riot police arrived at the scene to proceed with an eviction. Once the riot police were in the building, the press were not allowed to enter (this is common practice in evictions and ensures police impunity for the torture that often occurs inside and off camera). The students were identified and taken outside, to be met with cheers from the assembled crowd.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span> </p>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SfmZaLEqWSI/AAAAAAAAAHU/RvRb_wY83s0/s1600-h/CollegeStudentsResistEviction2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SfmZaLEqWSI/AAAAAAAAAHU/RvRb_wY83s0/s320/CollegeStudentsResistEviction2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330460308897683746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Police handling the minors</span>
<br /></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The action took place at the same time that unionised teachers from all over the Catalan territories rallied outside council buildings and the education consortium.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">As well as protesting against the entrance of police into their colleges last week, these actions are in opposition to the Catalan Education Law (LEC), a brief description of which can be read <a href="http://interuni-bcn.blogspot.com/2009/04/25th-april-college-occupations.html">here</a>.</span></p> Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-59253007570432827862009-04-28T23:07:00.004+02:002009-05-21T01:13:22.104+02:0028th April: Occupations and Demonstration<meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --></style><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Today a demonstration was held to demand moratoriums in the subjects that will be affected by the Bologna Process in the next academic year. In preparation, students held a series of occupations in the city.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.vilaweb.tv/?video=5659&amp;canal=66">Video of the actions in Santander Bank and the ERC headquarters</a>
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A series of occupations took place in Barcelona today with these demands:</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">1. Moratoriums in all the subjects that have been adapted to the EHEA in order to open up a debate process regarding the reforms.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">2. The resignation of Josep Huguet, minister for Innovation, Universities and Business, because of his desire to privatise the university system.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">3. Amnesty for all the students who have been expelled, disciplined, fined or charged.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The university students – supported by college students and mobilised unemployed people – occupied the headquarters of Banco Santander (the largest bank in Europe), the headquarters of ERC and PSC (Catalan Republican Left and Catalan Socialist Party, ruling parties in Catalonia) and the University Commission. These direct actions were in solidarity with everyone who is being exploited and ripped off by the government's new “bail-out” package for the banks, which will give even more money to the rich from the pockets of the poor.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The Santander occupation began at 11am, when a first group of 30 people entered the unsuspecting bank, shouting slogans such as: “Not banks, nor companies! Get out of our libraries!” and “Like this! Don't take one step back! Against Bologna: Direct action!”. Once inside, they hung a banner in the vestibule reading “You colonise our education; we occupy your headquarters”. The squatters then sat down and held a class with a lecturer who was present. The lecture was about how job precarity, enforced by the extreme capitalism we are currently suffering, turns the worker into a slave. The occupants invited the bank employees to sit and enjoy the lecture as well, but they were reluctant, probably because of their short-term contracts.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The class was followed by a group discussion and a second group arrived, taking over from those who had to go to work. A group also gathered outside the door to the building, hanging banners across the building and dealing with the media.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Inside posters were made from the bank's propaganda and the entire bank (including a show-car) was covered in the movement's stickers. One girl, dressed up as a corpse, laid down in front of the car with a sign declaring that the invasion of private interests into the higher education system kills the formation of critical thought. There was some excitement when a group of girls wanted to use the bank toilet but were stopped by security guards and cashiers, a group of people forced the door open and the squatters were able to use the toilets for the rest of their stay. This situation showed clearly that, although the banks and other capitalist institutions value money more than people, the power to challenge them is in our hands.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The bank closed at 2pm, and the occupiers were told by police officers that they were committing an offense by remaining. However, there was no eviction and the students decided to stay until the 6pm demonstration, at which point they left of their own accord.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Another group of students, together with some 20 transport workers, tried to occupy the PSC (Catalan Socialist Party, one of the ruling parties) headquarters at 12pm. They were stopped from entering by the building's defenses and the swift arrival of the police. Outside, manifestos were read by the workers and students, communicating their problems with the Catalan government. Later, the police tried to charge one student with breach of the peace, on the grounds that she was responsible for the action. In the face of this, those rallied outside the building started to pass around the megaphone, each person claiming that they were the one guilty of organising the activity and therefore preventing the charge. The event was ended after an hour as the transport workers had to go to work.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">At the headquarters of the ERC (Catalan Republican Party, another of the ruling parties), a group managed to enter an inner courtyard and later, by fighting with the security guards, the front door. Once at the entrance, a group of five chained themselves to the building and the others circulated information about the action to the public. The students planned to continue this situation until the time came to join the demonstration, but were interrupted by a police eviction. Once outside the building, the thirty or so occupants made a mini-demonstration through Barcelona towards the other protesters, blocking roads with a banner as they went.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The demonstration was attended by 300 people. As usual, the police presence was totally out of proportion, 17 riot vans followed the march and 5 more were waiting by the road leading to the government buildings. At best, this was a pointless display of force, trying to intimidate a movement that has already shown that it cannot be stopped by repressive state brutality.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The protest ended outside the University Commission in the centre of the city. A group of students, who had chained themselves inside the building as part of an occupation, came out voluntarily to cheers from the crowd and a communiqué was read denouncing the privatisation process.</p>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-26069070576277261872009-04-25T13:09:00.004+02:002009-05-21T01:12:34.138+02:0025th April: College Occupations<meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">In addition to actions held by current university students regarding the implementation of the Bologna Process in Catalonia, groups of college students, those facing a future crippled by the privatising reforms, are mobilising. This week, a campaign of college occupations is occurring in the Catalan territories, organised by student assemblies. </span> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">On Monday 20<sup>th</sup> April Around 100 students from four colleges in Sabadell (near Barcelona) passed the night in l'Escola Industrial college in the centre of the city. They slept in the patio because the headteacher wouldn't let them in the building, and thus avoided eviction. The occupation was organised with different events scheduled over its three day duration. The purpose of the action was to make the teaching institution an informative space, since information regarding the educational reforms is being blocked from those affected.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">The Menéndez y Pelayo college was occupied on the night of 22<sup>nd</sup> April. They were evicted on Thursday 23<sup>rd</sup> April at around 9pm, having resisted for an hour but later leaving after threats of expulsion. The police beat the students inside, partially protected by nightfall, as passers-by heckled at the repressive forces to stop. Between 20 and 30 students were evicted.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p align="justify"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">On Friday 24</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> April</span> the Ramon Berenguer IV college (Barcelona) was occupied at midday by around 30 students planning to hold a series of activities in the liberated space. The police were called almost immediately and a rally was held outside the building with students, parents and members of the community. Those inside decided to continue with their planned events. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">An eviction process started but was halted at 1am on Saturday morning following an agreement made between the headteacher and the students, who left at 6pm on Saturday. It's notable that throughout the occupation, the students were met with the support and solidarity of community members, to the extent that they woke up on Saturday morning to hot chocolate and biscuits brought to them by neighbours.
<br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">As well as fighting against the implementation of the Bologna Process, colleges are fighting against the new LEC (Catalan Education Law) and LOE (Organic Education Law). These laws will detract from schools' autonomy (obliging them to source funds from businesses), discriminate against immigrant students, give the head-teacher (now chosen by an administrative body) new powers and create an external ranking agency which will value – rather than the acquirement of knowledge – foreign language capacity, IT skills and student behaviour as a basis for funding. This funding system will harm schools in poorer areas creating an educational divide between the rich and the poor. These reforms are clear examples of social control tactics used to keep the poor “in their place”.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">A student strike is being called for the 29<sup>th</sup> April.</span></p> Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-76909272594859994482009-04-17T18:31:00.000+02:002009-04-17T18:32:37.776+02:00Reunió per anar a LouvainAquest Diumenge 19 d'Abril a les 20:00 fem reunió de tota la gent que vol anar a la contra-cimera de Louvain. Serà al centre social Èxit (C/Sant Martí 11, aprop de la Rambla del Raval, http://exit-bcn.blogspot.com/)<br />.<br /><br />Tota la gent que vulgui anar: en autocar (portar 95 Euros perquè necessitem reservar l'autocar ja), en avió, en cotxe, en autostop, gent que vulgui anar en cotxe però que no tingui cotxe, gent amb cotxe però que no tingui suficient gent per omplir-lo, gent que encara no ho te clar i vol aclarir alguns dubtes...<br /><br />Parlarem sobre la cimera, el transport (totes les opcions) i l'allotjament (que serà gratuït!). És importantissim que tothom es vingui!! Si algú vol anar a Louvain però no pot atendre la reunió que perfavor ens envii un email abans del diumenge.<br /><br />Si encara no sabeu que passa a Louvain: http://www.louvain2009.com/spip.php?article62&lang=frComision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-37713053712158320502009-04-15T15:12:00.004+02:002009-05-21T01:11:56.737+02:0030th March: Tomàs Sayés Ends Hunger Strike<meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <title></title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Linux)"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 21cm 29.7cm; margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --></style><p><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" >After 35 days on hunger strike Tomàs Sayés, a 25 year old student at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, has ended his hunger strike following his hospitalisation on 29<sup>th</sup> March 2009. Doctors said that he'd been taken in just in time, as his kidneys were on the point of suffering serious damage. As well as having very low sugar levels, Tomàs weighed just 49.5kg (7.8 stone). On the day of his admission, 100 students held a demonstration at his campus calling for the resignation of Anna Ripoll (the rector of his university). The protesters were prevented from entering the university building by security guards and smashed a glass door.</span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SfLwdWsJIwI/AAAAAAAAAHE/rKyB2z9c8o0/s1600-h/smashedupuab.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SfLwdWsJIwI/AAAAAAAAAHE/rKyB2z9c8o0/s320/smashedupuab.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328585696230318850" border="0" /></a> <p align="justify"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" >As Tomàs' condition slowly improves, we should take this opportunity to reflect on how the institutions have, in their desire to implement a privatising reform on a public service, risked a human life through their refusal to concede to his demands. The institutions refuse to hold a debate with the students, the very agents affected by the plans. Furthermore, they have tried to silence critical voices by calling in the police, expelling students and attempting to manipulate the mass media. The last point is illustrated by the distinct lack of commercial media coverage given to the hunger strike. </span></p>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-58408041697273878812009-04-15T02:29:00.005+02:002010-03-12T11:58:37.985+01:0018th March: Police Responses to the Charges made on Protesters<meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --></style><p lang="en-GB"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;">The Mossos d'Esquadra (“Squad Lads”) are the Autonomous Catalan Police Force. Their actions on the 18</span><sup><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;"> March included hitting journalists whilst wearing no identification numbers and sending a 10 year old to hospital. This isn't isolated, articles are often published recording beatings in custody, illegal detentions, etc. The riot police are particularly hated.</span></i></span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >Following the events of the 18</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><sup><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif;">th</span></sup></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" > March, the question arises: how do the </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>mossos</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" > themselves view the events? Are they only following orders or do they actually derive enjoyment from their jobs? Do they know what the protesters are demonstrating about? Do they care? The answers to these questions can be sought on “<a href="http://foropolicia.es/foros/viewforum.php?f=27&amp;start=50">foropolicial</a>”, an internet forum for police officers. Below are some of our favourite quotes.</span> <span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >Following <a href="http://e.static.blip.tv/cache/1891138/">links to videos of the police charging on students sitting in the road holding books</a>, the following comments were made by officers on the internet forum:
<br /></span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style="font-size:100%;">“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>Impeccable police action, it was about time and get well soon to our colleague</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i><span style="background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; background-position: 0% 0%; -moz-background-size: auto auto; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;color:transparent;" >s.</span></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>A police officer and ex-student</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >.”</span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style="font-size:100%;">“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>Today at 8pm there's another demonstration in the same 'Plaza Universidad', this morning 900 students demonstrated, this evening it could really kick off, best wishes and to the BRIMO </i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>[Mobile Brigade]</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i> </i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>workmates: go for them!!!!!”</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" > (from the moderator of the forum)</span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">“I hope that they go back to give those bastards what they deserve. Come on Dragones!!!” [a riot police division]</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i><span style="background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; background-position: 0% 0%; -moz-background-size: auto auto; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;color:transparent;" ></span></i></span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>
<br /></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>Those who refer to themselves as “students” </i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>(allegedly)</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i> instead of “manifest social parasites” have too much free time to try and do bad things and, due to their large numbers and perseverance, achieve it.</i></span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>A great future awaits Spain with these idlers' projects with fascist-minded absurd demands. P.S.: Give a thrashing to these friendly citizens with infinite rights and zero obligations.</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >”
<br />
<br />“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>For my part I don't see many students, but a lot of layabouts.</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >” </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>
<br />
<br /></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>The chases on the road are great, the students they chased after must have already been marked out.</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >” </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>
<br /></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >
<br />“... </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>Congratulations to our colleagues in the BRIMO...It seems to me that there was a lot of scum, camouflaged as students”</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >. </span> </p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;">[</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >Ironically, this contributor has the signature: “Better to keep your mouth shut and look like an idiot than open it and demonstrate that you really are one.”</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;">]</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>
<br />
<br /></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>If you don't want to get bruised, stay at home. I was at home and I didn't get hit at all..</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >.”
<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>
<br /></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>They complain because they got hit on the legs</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" > <span style="font-style: italic;">(such as established in the police criteria for causing as little damage as possible)</span> ... </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>therefore, my good mossos, you already know what to do: HARD AND AT THE HEAD!!!</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >”
<br />
<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>“A great thrashing given by our colleagues... Right on time for the mossos.</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >” </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>
<br />
<br /></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>Take a firm hand against this gang of parasites</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >.” </span> </p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;">[</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >This one's signed: “Bring back Don Pelayo”... Pelayo is the mythical Spanish hero who started the “reconquest” of the Iberian Peninsula after the ruling Germanic tribes had been forced into the Northern mountains by North African armies and Muslim civilisation</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;">]</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >. </span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style="font-size:100%;">“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>They hit the journalist on the legs, how did he appear with a burst eye????? I'm sure he's from the Republican Red channel and that he hit himself with a broken bottle, the stupid idiot hahahahahahaha” </i></span> </p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;">[</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >Referring to a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LYvYrIkxHk">video</a> of a journalist who has been hit in the head and has blood running down his face</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;"> (see 0.40)</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; background-position: 0% 0%; -moz-background-size: auto auto; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;color:transparent;" ></span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;">]</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; background-position: 0% 0%; -moz-background-size: auto auto; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;color:transparent;" >
<br /></span></span></span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>
<br /></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>It was about time that they taught the entire gang of scum, layabouts, pseudo-squatters and varied rabble, that if they want to protest they have to conform to the law.</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >” </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>
<br />
<br /></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >“<span style="font-style: italic;">A</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>h, and the charge, it's not one of the hardest I've seen, but sure, you've hit a journalist, and a 10 year-old boy, I'd like to know what the fuck he was doing in a protest.</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >” </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i><b>
<br /></b></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>
<br /></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >Referring to the students attacking a line of mossos with the poles of their flags on Wednesday night:</span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style="font-size:100%;">“</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >I</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>n these protests the students form a minority. Really there are the same instigators as always, and they're not even from this country. Anarchists, squatters and layabouts from central Europe, who have found a land of milk and honey in Barcelona and Catalonia. What happened tonight is also police violence???? Who provoked it???? Where the fuck are the shotguns to blow them to pieces, why do the Dragones have to put up with being hit with sticks when we have long weapons???? We have to show these idiots what real police severity is for fuck's sake</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >.” </span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>
<br />
<br /></i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>I propose that the strikes should be directed from the neck up and carried out by a wooden stick with a nail at the end... that really would be constitutional</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >” </span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >With an image of a chainsaw:</span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style="font-size:100%;">“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>I think with one of these we could finish up quicker..</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >.”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style="font-size:100%;">“</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>Incidentally, does anyone want to explain to me what the Bologna Process is all about to explain why there are so many demonstrations all over the country</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >? </span></p><p lang="en-GB"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>MY FULLEST SUPPORT FOR THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE Mossos d'Esquadra, THE BARCELONA MOVEMENT OF THE FAR LEFT – SQUATTERS – SCUM - “UN-WASHED” IS MUCH MORE OF A PROBLEM THAN IN OTHER PARTS OF SPAIN...</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >”</span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;">[</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >He signs off:
<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>“Brutal corporatism? For my part I say:</i></span></p> <p lang="en-GB"><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><i>Long live Guantanam</i></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" >o”</span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;">]</span></span><span style=";font-family:Times New Roman,serif;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; background-position: 0% 0%; -moz-background-size: auto auto; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;color:transparent;" >
<br /></span></span></span></p> Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-54406429008580631902009-04-15T01:46:00.007+02:002009-05-21T01:04:56.241+02:0013th March: Student Eviction from Pompeu Fabra University<meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --></style><p style="margin-right: -0.08in; color: rgb(51, 0, 51);" align="left"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:Arab;font-size:100%;" ><span lang="en-GB">At midday on 12</span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" ><sup><span style="font-family:Arab;"><span lang="en-GB">th</span></span></sup></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:Arab;font-size:100%;" ><span lang="en-GB"> April 2009 students occupied </span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:Arab;font-size:100%;" ><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Pompeu Fabra University. They informed the university senate that the occupation was to end on Sunday. However, despit<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204);">e these assurances, t</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">he rector of Pompeu Fabra University, Joan Josep Moreso, called for police to evict students from the building at 10pm o</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style=""><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">n Friday</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style=""> 13</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204);font-size:100%;" ><sup><span style="font-family:Arab;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">th</span></span></span></span></span></sup></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style=""> March 2009.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" lang="en-GB"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;">At this time the faculty is open to the public, therefore the library was full of people and students were still in class. Police surrounded the building and prevented people from leaving. They then began to violently evict the occupying students. They hit the floor with their batons and kicked over chairs in full view of the public. Some of the students left the premises voluntarily but 17 students remained behind. Approximately 200 students congregated at the entrance of the university to show their support for the remaining demonstrators.</span></span></p> <p style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" lang="en-GB"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;">At first, police dragged students out of the building via a side door but shortly after they started to remove them through the main entrance. A number of students were injured during the eviction, some of whom were attended to by medics. One of the students, a member of the Mundet campus (pedagogy faculty) assembly, has been detained at Les Corts police station. The reason for his detention is unknown. </span></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">The eviction follows the police eviction of students from the Poble Nou campus “Ca l'Aranyó” which occurred on the 13</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><sup><span style="font-family:Arab;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">th</span></span></span></span></span></sup></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style=""> February 2009.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" lang="en-GB"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;">We are concerned that the presence of police inside public university buildings is becoming commonplace. The university rectors accuse us of imposing a minority will, however the results of the referendums clearly demonstrate that we represent a majority (1). Pompeu Fabra University ignored the results of the vote and instead has started taking disciplinary measures against students and violently silences all peaceful protests on campus.</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br />
<br /></span> </p> <ol style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><li><p style="margin-right: -0.08in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left" lang="en-GB"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;">The percentage in favour of paralysation in referendums held in the four public universities of Barcelona:</span></span></p> </li></ol> <p style="margin-right: -0.08in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" align="left" lang="en-GB"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;">University of Barcelona – 93.1%</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right: -0.08in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" align="left" lang="en-GB"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;">Autonomous University of Barcelona – 98.7%</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right: -0.08in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" align="left" lang="en-GB"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;">Pompeu Fabra University – 88.7%</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right: -0.08in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" align="left" lang="en-GB"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arab;">Politechnic University of Catalonia – 89.7%</span></span></p> Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-21567598718857538392009-04-15T01:38:00.005+02:002009-05-21T01:08:12.962+02:0018th March: Chronicle of the Night Time Rally Following the Eviction<meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --></style><p align="justify" lang="ca-ES"><span style=";font-family:Arab;font-size:100%;" ><b>8,000 people take to the streets to show their solidarity with the evicted students.</b></span></p> <p style="" align="justify" lang="ca-ES"><span style=";font-family:Arab;font-size:100%;" >Following, the eviction of students from the rectorate of the University of Barcelona, violent clashes erupted between police and students. More than 50 people were injured and 6 were detained (although released that day due to media pressure). That evening, 8,000 demonstrators attended a rally in support of the students. They demanded the resignation of the rector of the University of Barcelona (Dídac Ramírez), the resignation of Josep Huguet (Catalan Minister of Innovation, Universities and Businesses) and that university buildings be kept free of police. </span> </p> <p align="justify" lang="ca-ES"><span style=";font-family:Arab;font-size:100%;" >Police prevented the rally from entering Plaça Sant Jaume where the Generalitat government is based (the political seat of those responsible for the actions of the police). Plaça Sant Jaume is the traditional end of protest routes, where pressure groups symbolically read out their manifestos in front of the government buildings, therefore it is considered a democratic right to enter this public space. Running battles between incensed demonstrators and police erupted. Demonstrators made barricades in the streets of the Born neighbourhood. More than 40 riot vans of police attended the scene, a clearly disproportionate number. Students, pedestrians, tourists, the elderly, families with children and journalists were trapped at the scene by the police presence on the thin medieval streets and the closure of the metro station.</span></p> <p align="justify" lang="ca-ES"><span style=";font-family:Arab;font-size:100%;" >The exact number of injured and detained during the night is unknown. However, we can confirm that amongst those injured by police include a journalist from TV3 (national television station), two from La Vanguardia newspaper and one from El Periódico newspaper, as well as a number of professors and Administrative and Service Personnel from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. A 10 year-old child was also hospitalised following police brutality. A spokesperson for the Mossos d'Esquadra expressed regret for the aggressions.</span></p> <p align="justify" lang="ca-ES"><span style=";font-family:Arab;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LYvYrIkxHk">>> See Video <<</a>
<br /></span></p> <p align="justify"><span style=";font-family:Arab;font-size:100%;" ><span lang="ca-ES">Despite the police violence, our struggle continues. The displays of solidarity from all over Europe continue to multiply. On the 19</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><sup><span style="font-family:Arab;"><span lang="ca-ES">th</span></span></sup></span><span style=";font-family:Arab;font-size:100%;" ><span lang="ca-ES"> March (the following day) a European wide rally protesting against the implementation of a European Higher Education Area will take place. We continue to occupy the Faculty of Letters and Educational Sciences at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and that of Educational Sciences at the University of Barcelona.</span></span></p>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-89672075915440290842009-04-15T01:09:00.008+02:002009-05-21T01:06:39.978+02:0018th March: Personal Testimony of the Eviction from the Historic Building University Occupation<meta equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><title></title><meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 2.4 (Win32)"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.27in 11.69in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --></style><p><span style="font-size:100%;">The Mossos (military-trained police) have published an edited video for the press which presents the eviction of 53 students from the University of Barcelona as a peaceful affair: </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://politica.e-noticies.es/els-mossos-desalojaron-la-ub-sin-incidentes-27347.html">>> See Video</a>
<br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">We know otherwise. Here follows a personal testimony of the events from a student who suffered it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br />
<br /></span> </p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">It was almost 5.30am and I was sleeping peacefully under my blankets when suddenly a shout woke me up- “Mossos, mossos!”. I was still in bed without really understanding what was happening, waiting for a signal that this was false alarm. “You've got two minutes! shouted a low voice at the end of the corridor and I quickly recognised the boots, the helmet, the truncheon and the echoing noise of large steps coming closer to me... I jumped out of bed to search for clothes to put on. “Leave your mobiles!” shouted the mossos, but the darkness and my nerves stopped me from doing anything but tremble. I could hear voices shouting that we had to get going. I grabbed my clothes and decided to leave before the warnings turned into whacks of truncheons. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">I could see my friends sat on the stairs together watched over by dozens of Mossos. They looked defeated and resigned. But once we were all together, we decided to make a human chain by linking arms and sitting on the floor in order to peacefully resist removal. “Call the media! Warn our friends!” we whispered between our teeth and we tried to send messages for help.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">“Whosoever leaves now by themselves won't have any problem. Those of you who resist will be arrested” shouted one of the Mossos. In that moment you could have cut the tension with a knife. One person decided to leave and the rest of us (approximately 52) prepared ourselves for the consequences. “Now whoever wants, will have to get up and take whatever personal objects that are impossible to live without. After that, anything left will become the property of the university” barked one of the Mossos. “I've got a computer here”said a friend who got to his feet but was stopped by a mosso, “you said we could get our things!” my friend replied. But we received no reply. Then the mossos started to grab him. He shouted “my computer!” but three more Mossos started hitting him and one pressed his knee into his face, pinning him to the ground. Everyone watched open-mouthed and shouted at them to stop. Today, that same friend has a fissured patella (knee bone) and multiple contusions, not to mention a plaster cast over his leg. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">A camera appeared. It had a strong white light which made it difficult for us to see and it recorded each of our faces. When the camera left, the mossos continued their work. They bent back our wrists until we could stand the pain no more and separated us from each other. They dragged some of my friends by the nostrils and the arms down the steps. I lost sight of my friends and heard their cries, my stomach turned. When the camera started filming, the mossos simply remained still and silent, waiting. But when we were being hit, the camera was nowhere to be seen. “Someone take photos!” we murmured. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">A young man came up the stairs, he wore a hood and a scarf that covered his face so that you could only see his eyes. He was dressed for the street but he spoke with the “chiefs” and walked around the entire premises. Sincerely, that situation exceeded any conspiracy theory we'd been able to come up with during our nights in the rectorate. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">Given the silent panic that had overcome us, someone decided to start cracking jokes as we tried to release our fear with nervous laughter. A way to escape from the situation which none of us had ever expected to experience.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">The laughter couldn't last much longer as the sun started to rise outside and their methods became more and more brutal. They picked up a friend who resisted, he shouted incessantly but then his voice became a gargle, without fully believing it, we realised that the mossos were pressing into his neck, strangling him so that he would become separated from the group. He tried to speak but his words were suffocated. We could only hopelessly protest and swallow the laughter that previously cut through the tension.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">People were dragged down the stairs. We became fewer and fewer. One of our most vocal friends, who we will call “Ricardo” tried to keep us calm by saying things like “nothing will happen to us”, “we mustn't do anything to put ourselves at more risk than we already are”, “the only thing to do now is resist”. He was left until last by the mossos. The mossos looked at him and spoke into each others' ears. We knew that things would not go well. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">I could hear friends outside shouting slogans and they had warned us stealthily that all the press were outside. Good – I thought – at least the mossos won't have impunity. My turn eventually came. A hand came over my face to stop me from breathing. However, on realising that this technique was too visual the mosso put his fingers in my nose and mouth. I was in agony, shouting at them to release me. In a reflex action (and I say “reflex” because it was like this and it wouldn't shame me to recognise that it was otherwise, had it been intentional) I closed my mouth and bit his finger. But then I felt the hands of the mosso behind me encircle my neck and start to press harder and harder. I shouted so that my friends would realise what was happening, but nothing came out of my throat and the oxygen ran out. I was dragged by my arms and left out on the landing. I felt an overwhelming urge to vomit and the retching continued. A mosso stood over me and looked at me out of the corners of his eyes without moving and all I could think was this was one of the most degrading moments of my life. At that moment I realised that they would never understand that I was simply trying to peacefully demonstrate for something I believed in. Did they even know why they were there? Or what the protest was about... I had never harmed a hair on their heads, I didn't deserve what they doing to me. I realised that it was useless to try and defend myself as any action I took would be turned back on me three-fold. The only thing I could do was weather the storm. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">The moment came when “Ricardo” came down and they placed him a metre away from me. My friend and I were dragged down but they held “Ricardo” by his arms with his head pressed into the ground. “Leave me be, please, I won't escape, you're hurting me” but they ignored his pleas. “Stop!” I cried, “Can't you see that you're not achieving anything? Stop!”. “Shut up!” - answered the mosso who had remained motionless, standing over me. “How are you going to shut me up? Leave him be and I'll shut up, really!”. At that moment, one of the mossos standing next to me hit me in the head. The force of the blow threw me against the wall. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">When we saw the severity with which they were treating Ricardo, my friend and I, expecting the worst for ourselves, started to kick up a fuss so that he would be the first of us three to leave. They asked me “will you go down of your own accord, miss?” (I still ask myself what kind of person drags you down the stairs and then uses the polite form of “you”), “Do you think I can go down of my own accord after what you've done to me?” - I answered. Then they took me by my arms and t-shirt which pulled itself up over my head. But since it was a pyjama top it meant that I ended up completely naked from the waist up. Like this, I was dragged down the second part of the stairs, with about 20 mossos standing around me witnessing the scene. Only when they had dragged me down the stairs did someone cover me up. I don't know if it was what people call “shock” but, something happened to me that prevented me from standing up, I was completely immobile. I couldn't believe what was happening to me.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">A hand took hold of me. I looked up to see my friend just staring at the floor with his eyes wide open. I suppose he hadn't managed to understand what was happening either. We were taken away one by one whilst we tried to explain to them that the occupation was for a reason and that they couldn't keep ignoring our cause. We had no choice but to make passive resistance. Whilst we waited, two mossos to my left were jesting in Spanish (the Mossos are the Catalan Autonomous police force) “Ha ha... you see that one, when we get him alone, he's going to get it!” and they laughed again. I was about to say something when my friend calmed me down “they're only trying to provoke us... don't take any notice of them”, so I nodded and turned my back on them so that I wouldn't see any more of their gestures or bragging.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">When I was finally alone I silently wondered if it was worth trying to reason with them or let my rage loose now that there were no more friends to stop me. But, then the “chief” began to say something and we all looked in his direction. This caught me unawares. Taking advantage of the situation, the mosso behind me, the one who had been trying to provoke me, took advantage of the situation to catch me and kick my back to which I responded by screaming. The rest of the mossos who hadn't seen what had happened turned round, alarmed by my screams. They came over to me and put their hands over my face, to try and make my breathing difficult. They pressed down on my pressure points so as to cause maximum pain without leaving a mark. Then they took me to the front desk and took down my identification details. I tried to produce my documentation but my hands were shaking and I was crying; which made me feel really stupid. Then the “person” (a female police officer) who had spent the night behind the security desk in the university and knew nothing about what had just happened, looked at my I.D. and tried to console me: “Come on, don't cry...” as two mossos forced my wrists back. I answered “If you were in this situation, wouldn't you cry too?”. She looked down at the ground. I don't know if she did this through empathy or indifference, the point is that it mattered very little to me at that moment as the mossos started shouting for reinforcements to help drag me out. whilst I counted down till the moment my wrist would be definitely dislocated. In this way I left and the local newspaper reporters from “La Vanguardia” captured on film the moment I was removed from the building. This was to be the pubic portrayal starting a week of stress in which people talk of nothing else except the eviction.
<br /></span></p><p>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SeUdHpjUeUI/AAAAAAAAAGk/ebR322a2Usk/s1600-h/Nerea.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iGoOwObKJJY/SeUdHpjUeUI/AAAAAAAAAGk/ebR322a2Usk/s320/Nerea.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324694151685765442" border="0" /></a></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;">When people condemn the act of “kicking us out” as a treason to dialogue and democracy, I ask ¨would their convictions be given more strength if they also knew how the police had treated us inside the building?¨. If now, like us, they couldn't hug their friends because they are covered in bruises. What if they too had been strangled, hit and dragged half-naked down some stairs. Where would this leave the “the Bologna Process” and “the fight for a public university”. Where would this leave Mr. Dídac Ramírez, Mr. Joan Josep Moreso, Mr. Lluís Ferrer and their attempts to eradicate the “anti-bolonya” movement. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">And through all this, I am resigned to knowing that my word will never be worth more than that of a Mosso d'Esquadra.
<br />
<br />Today Mr. Saura (Catalan Minister of the Interior, responsible for the actions of the Mossos d'Esquadra police force) admitted possible “errors” and I make a call now to question ourselves if maybe the aggression was a mistake when we talk from a repressive-logic point of view, and, if it’s not, the degree of violence is dependant on the strength with which the objective is desired. And I recognise a possible “excess” of forcefulness on behalf of his agents.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">I ask why do they continue to carry guns? To kill their own citizens? And where is the red line which, according to Mr Ramirez, the students supposedly crossed? The official reason for our eviction being that we had crossed a red line of violence.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">We, who are many, believe that another kind of education is possible, a true pedagogic revolution, a critical education which produces thinkers not just workers; where knowledge is not a tool to serve the interests of a minority corporate elite but a catalyst for social and personal revolution. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">Finally, I implore you not to treat this personal account simply as a chronology of events but as a call to take a stand and become reconnected with each other and our world. There is a situation, it is important, and we need to take sides within it. Injustice has a name and address, and those responsible must be held accountable.</span></p> Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7589293091892351205.post-48927387249468254312009-04-03T17:15:00.015+02:002009-05-21T01:24:13.943+02:00La semana de acción global y la contra-cumbre en Louvain<p><strong>La semana de acción global </strong></p><p><br />La semana de acción global (20-29 de Abril) se basa en acciones descentralizadas llevadas a cabo por estudiantes en todo el mundo: (<a href="http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/content/semana-global-de-acci%C3%B3n-2009" target="_blank">http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/content/semana-global-de-acci%C3%B3n-2009</a>) </p><p><br /><strong>“Global flashmob”</strong></p><p><br />El 22 de Abril grupos de varios paises hacen un "global flashmob" en sus ciudades, una manifestación que se hace corriendo y puede acabar, o no, con la ocupación de un espacio público.<br />Aquí se puede ver un video de ejemplo: <a href="http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/content/updated-day-united-action-during-global-week-action-09" target="_blank">http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/content/updated-day-united-action-during-global-week-action-09</a> </p><p><br />La idea es que los grupos graben sus acciones y después se hará un video conjunto de todos los “flashmobs”. Pretende ser una acción original y visible del movimiento estudiantil internacional.</p><p><br /><strong>La contra-cumbre en Louvain</strong> </p><p>La contra-cumbre en Louvain (26-29 de Abril) coincide con la Cumbre Ministerial del Proceso de Bolonia. El objetivo es que gente de los diferentes movimientos estudiantiles de Europa se conozca, se fortalezcan las relaciones y las alianzas entre los movimientos y se muestre un rechazo unificado al Plan Bolonia.<br />La llamada a Louvain: <a href="http://www.louvain2009.com/spip.php?article62&amp;lang=fr" target="_blank">http://www.louvain2009.com/spip.php?article62&amp;lang=fr</a><br /><a href="http://www.louvain2009.com/spip.php?article62&amp;lang=fr" target="_blank"></a><br />También se intentará consensuar una declaración alternativa a la declaración de Bolonia que se puede empezar a discutir en este foro: <a href="http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/content/writing-alternative-bologna-declaration" target="_blank">http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/content/writing-alternative-bologna-declaration</a></p><p><br /><strong>Organización</strong></p><p><br />Todo esto se está organizando a través de los foros y los chats internacionales organizados por la web: <a href="http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/" target="_blank">http://www.emancipating-education-for-all.org/</a></p><p><br />Desde Barcelona estamos organizando autocares, los grupos interesados nos pueden contactar por email lo antes posible.<br /></p>Comision Internacional de la Universitad de Barcelonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14793242815701885445noreply@blogger.com0